Crossing the Line
by JoyfulDevastation
Summary: There will always be secrets, whether they are of human creation, or of Mother Nature's. They are what keep the balance between the so-called forces of 'good' and 'evil'. These secrets are what push something or someone over that gray line that no one can see but everyone knows exists. That line is my lifeline- as long as I do not stray too far from that line, I am safe.
1. Chapter 1

"_We make our decisions, and then our decisions turn around and make us."  
_**-F.W. Boreham**

Chapter 1: The Decision

There is always going to be something you don't know. There will always be secrets, whether they are of human creation, or of Mother Nature's. You cannot know of them, you cannot learn of them. They simply are, and are not. They are what keep the balance between the so-called forces of 'good' and 'evil'. These secrets are what push something or someone over that gray line that no one can see but everyone knows exists. These secrets are what make us who we are.

My secrets have shaped me. My secrets have shoved me over that infinitesimal gray line and into the murky depths beyond. My secrets have nudged me over that infinite gray line and into the rejuvenating depths beyond. And yet I still toe that line, that line so thin it cannot be seen, that line so wide it cannot be missed. That line is my lifeline- as long as I do not stray too far from that line, I am safe.

(/- _- )/ ,;:'"':;, \(- _- \)

It was grocery day. The day Aunt and I would sneak out into public with our cloaks and our hoods and try to haggle prices for food to last us the week. Aunt was wonderful at getting the storeowners to lower their prices, but only because she used her pretty face, soft voice, and delicate eyelashes. I would usually be the tool used against female storeowners, pale and fragile-looking as I was.

Recently the storeowners had grown a tad suspicious. They never saw us aside from grocery day, and we never stayed out any longer than was absolutely necessary. It was completely natural for them to grow doubts. This hadn't been the first time, either. We usually moved away from a village when the citizens became distrustful of us, but poor Auntie liked this quaint little village too much. She kept promising that we'd leave soon, but I could tell by that wistful look in her eyes that we were going nowhere.

I could feel the dark stares burning holes in my cloak as we walked through the village, hear the whispers behind our backs. People wanted to know who we were, why we always wore cloaks and only left our little apartment once a week. Nosy citizens even walked up and tried to knock the cloaks off our heads with swift hands or 'accidental clumsiness'. A quick glance at my Aunt told me she realized how dangerous this was becoming, but a look at her shaking hands told me she still didn't want to leave. She had grown to love this place too much. Or perhaps someone in it.

There is always a risk in falling in love, whether it be with another person, or something else entirely. But this love of my Aunt's… it held too many risks. Not just for her and me but for everyone else as well. When something meant to remain a secret becomes a known fact… well, the aftermath is pure devastation. Especially when the secret being brought into the light is so dark it conceals all of the good around it.

But that desperation in my Aunt's eyes, the way she clenched her fists before relaxing in a weak attempt at easing her nerves… She truly did not want to leave. She wanted to stay here, grow old with someone special as she relaxed in the warm sunlight or by the comforting fireplace. She was young, too young to have to be responsible for an eight-year-old child who couldn't stay in one place for more than a few weeks, and it was clear she wished to settle down. She tried to hide it, but I had learned to read people with ease by the time I turned five.

We got our groceries- fewer than usual due to the storeowners being unsure about us- and returned to our measly apartment. I could almost see the wild anxiety in Aunt's eyes slip away, tension sliding out of her and being replaced with a serene aura. This apartment was _home_, it was _safe_. To her, anyway. I knew better. I knew it was only a matter of time before one of the citizens became curious and decided to investigate. Or worse, hired a ninja from one of the Hidden Villages to investigate.

We could not be discovered. She could not be discovered with me, I could not be discovered at all. If I were found out, it would mean death of the worst kind. One does not need to lack a heartbeat in order to die. I dreaded the idea of what they would do to me, of what they would make me do. I had to leave, had to escape. But Aunt could not, and so I had to make a decision.

Three days later, in the early hours of the night, I forced her asleep with a tap to a certain pressure point and packed my meager belongings into a sealing scroll, leaving no trace of my existence behind. She would be fine. She would only be unconscious for a few hours, just long enough for me to get too far for her to follow. I had left a note, telling her to enjoy the rest of her life. I was sure she could become happy in that little village, once the suspicion died down. So, I left without so much as a glance backwards.

Now that I think back on it, that was probably the turning point of my entire life. Not a complete one-eighty, but a good twenty-degree turn that would define the rest of my existence. I can't tell you if it was the right decision, but I can tell you that I'm glad I made it. I'm glad my Aunt wasn't a part of the hell I went through in the years after that night, I'm glad I went through that hell in order to become what I am today. I have plenty of regrets, yes, but that night is not one of them.

It's funny because, at the time, I had thought it would become one of my greatest regrets. As I raced through the scraggly trees, avoiding branches that looked like they would snap if a feather landed on them, I ran through some scenarios in my mind. Most were of my future, of what would happen now that I was on my own. Death came up a lot, or possible capture. Some thoughts drifted to my Aunt, smiling as she put on that special white dress for some man I would never meet. My mind somehow wandered to an image of her laughing as she played with her own children, myself having been long forgotten.

I had to stop at that, had to fight back that crushing wave of doubt and pain that suddenly threatened to overwhelm me. I struggled against it, reminding myself that it was for the best if she forgot me. Forgot what I am, forgot what I was capable of. She would be much happier if she just forgot.

Somehow, that didn't make me feel better.

The wave washed over me, knocking me to the ground. I curled in on myself, eyes watering from pain both physical and emotional. Unable to keep it in any longer, I let the tears flow. Let the sobs echo through the dying forest and frighten the animals away. Let my body heave with the force of my sadness. And when I had no more tears to shed, I got up, brushed myself off, and continued on my way to the next village over.

I lived off of nutrition bars and questionable water for the next few days as I zipped through the forest, knowing the nearest village was several miles away. The Land of Earth was mountainous and windy, making it a less-than-desirable place to live. That is, unless you were my Aunt. But, not everyone was as desperate to settle down as my Aunt, and so villages were somewhat few and far between. I couldn't even stop at the nearby Iwagakure in fear of someone becoming suspicious. It was one thing to have a civilian apprehensive of you. It was a whole different and more severe matter to have a shinobi wary of you.

It was a week and a half by the time I found a small village nestled in the unforgiving mountains. By then my feet were raw and bloody, my head was pounding, and my stomach protested the lack of substantial food. In my daze, I was not cautious. I simply stumbled into the village and began to steal food and pickpocket those who looked the wealthiest. Fortunately, I did not get caught. Unfortunately, this village was too small and too far into the mountains to have any real food or money. The food I stole was dry and tough, and even the wealthiest-looking people only had a few thousand ryō. Besides that, I only ever took about half of whatever someone had in their pockets so that the guilt wouldn't eat away at me so much.

By the time I had finished I had two shriveled apples, a handful of rock-hard jerky, a packet of dried mango, three stale bread rolls, two bottles of water, and a grand total of five thousand, one hundred and twenty-eight ryō. It wasn't much, but it was more than I had had earlier that morning. I took a sip from one of the water bottle, ate one of the apples, a quarter of the jerky, and one half of a bread roll before storing the rest inside my scroll and exiting the little village.

Five days later, I ran out of food. Two days after that, I caught my first rabbit. It had taken quite a bit of practice but I had pushed on, if only to take my mind off the agonizing hunger that had dug its claws into my stomach. I had fashioned a weapon out of a sharp branch and learned how to sneak up on the ever-vigilant creatures. I skinned the rabbit with some difficulty, after breaking the branch once and having to find another one, and then started a fire with which to cook it. Rocks high enough to block the smoke from prying eyes surrounded me.

I was tired, hungry, cold, and slightly out of it from seeing all of that blood while skinning the rabbit. I knew I would probably only last a few more days without shelter, perhaps a little more than that now that I could catch and cook food. I had to find a cave or abandoned cabin soon, or I would die. I also had to find some source of water- I was already halfway through the second one.

Pushing those thoughts from my mind, I tore a leg from the now-cooked rabbit and stored the rest in the scroll before biting down, eyes watering at the strange taste. I ignored it, eating the rest of the edible meat before hiding the bone under a semi-large rock. It was harder than it should have been to move that rock, but I managed. Irritated, I silently berated myself for being weak, though I couldn't help it. Lack of food, water, and sleep did that to a person.

The next day, I found exactly what I had been looking for. I discovered some moss on my way and realized that if there was moss, there was water. So I followed the sparse trail of green until it became a dense patch, lying innocently enough next to a sparkling spring. I may have just been hallucinating, but at the time I would have sworn that I saw the spring glow. Instantly I was on my knees, gulping down a few handfuls of water and filling the two water bottles up.

When I sat up and looked around, I realized that this would be the perfect spot to rest until I got my strength back up. There was a small cave nearby, a source of semi-clean water, and I was sure that plenty of rabbits would stop to drink from the only source of water for miles around!

There was only one problem with my plan. Another animal had decided exactly as I had, and taken up residence in the nearby cave. Of course, as dazed as I was, I didn't even consider that as I entered the dark cave. That's why it came as a surprise when suddenly I was on my back, vicious snarling rumbling in my ears. I struggled weakly under whatever weight was holding me down, but searing pain raced up my right arm and ceased all of my movements. I let out a whimper, looking up in hopes of finding out exactly what was attacking me.

From the long, cat-like whiskers, glowing yellow eyes, knife-like fangs and razor sharp claws, I figured it was some kind of mountain lion. It bared its teeth at me and I lost control of my bladder, the sour scent wafting through the air and angering the giant cat further. I stretched my good arm out, searching for anything to use against the beast. It came in the form of a palm-sized rock that I picked up and stabbed into the creature's eye, causing it to rear back with a yowl. It lashed out in pain, claws grazing the skin of my stomach. I rolled over and began struggling to get out, crawling desperately towards the opening of the cave.

The cat lunged forward and latched on to the back of my left leg, teeth digging in to the scrawny limb. I grabbed at another rock, bigger this time, and threw it at the lion's head. It roared and backed away, tail swishing behind it angrily. This time I just kept throwing rocks at it, whatever I could get my hands on. The beast glared at me with its one good eye, lashing out whenever I didn't find a rock fast enough. Blood was coating the stone floor now, the crimson liquid pooling beneath the two of us swiftly. Finally my mind caught up with the situation and I extracted the stick I used for hunting out of my cloak, finding it to be broken but still a viable weapon. I shot forward and drove the stick into its gaping maw with all I had. A choked gurgle came from the beast before it collapsed, twitching in pain. A few seconds later, it stopped moving.

The adrenaline was starting to subside, allowing me to feel the full extent of my injuries. Tears escaped my eyes as I forced myself to my feet, stumbling once before limping out to the spring. I used the water in the water bottles to clean out my wounds a few feet away before going to the spring, refilling them, washing the injuries out once more, and then refilling them again. I shed my cloak, sat on the rocks, and began tearing it into strips, all the while trying not to let myself fall unconscious. I tied the strips around the wounds as tightly as I could, screaming whenever the pain grew to be too much. I vaguely realized that without my cloak, my hair and eyes would be visible to anyone who passed by. At the moment, I couldn't bring myself to care.

Then I limped back to the cave, gathering loose twigs and sticks on my way. My hands trembled in latent fear at the sight of the beast lying in a pool of its own blood as well as mine. Forcing myself to move forward, I approached the body and began examining it. There was a deep wound on its side, one I was sure I hadn't caused. It must have been injured in a previous fight, which explained why it had attacked me without warning. I sincerely hoped it didn't have rabies.

Pulling out my storage scroll, I placed the lion's body inside- it wouldn't go bad inside the scroll, and I wasn't about to pass up a month's worth of food. If I even lived that long with my wounds.

Shoving that thought to the back of my mind, I moved deeper into the cave. Once I was away from all the blood, I set up my twigs and sticks and used a pair of rocks to start a flame. Then I curled in on myself, staring into the dancing flames as my eyes slowly drifted closed.

(/- _- )/ ,;:'"':;, \(- _ -\)

**And there's my first chapter. Poor girl (whose name you will not know until I want you to). There **_**is**_** a reason I've barely told you anything about her yet, so please don't ask : ) I have a method to my madness.**

**Anyway, I will be updating sporadically, so don't expect a chapter every day. Thank you for reading the first chapter of Crossing the Line! I sincerely hope you enjoyed it. If you can, please review with comments, compliments, or constructive criticism!**

**I have a question for anyone reading this; **_Who is your favorite Naruto character?_

**I'll answer that question myself once I've updated. I'm actually pretty into this story at the moment, so I'll start working on it now. It's the weekend, I have nothing going on… why not?**

**Thanks again for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

"_Few people are capable of expressing with equanimity opinions which differ from the prejudices of their social environment. Most people are incapable of forming such opinions."__**–**_** Albert Einstein**

Chapter 2- Survival

The next time I opened my eyes, it was dark outside. The sour stench of death and urine hung in the air, while the acrid smell of smoke had vanished along with its source during my rest. Before me sat a pile of ashes, dyed crimson by the blood that had crept across the stone.

It was a poor decision to try and stand up, but I made it anyway. Immediately my joints locked up on me and forced me back to the unforgiving ground, rattling my bones and jostling my wounds. A whimper escaped my lips as I curled up again in a poor attempt at escaping the pain.

Once my nerves had stopped sending rapid-fire warning signals to my brain, I allowed myself to slowly unfurl. It was a gradual process. I would stop every so often when the pain started to flare again, and then continue once it died down a bit. Eventually, I was lying spread-eagle on my back and staring up at the stone ceiling.

I took that moment to take inventory of my wounds. My right arm seemed to be broken, and from the bruising I guessed it was just above the elbow. My stomach was on fire, and a quick glance downward revealed that even the skin around the makeshift bandage was red and swollen. The same went for my left leg. They were infected.

I knew the stages of an infection from an animal bite. Two to twelve hours after the initial wound, the usual symptoms of redness and swelling would occur. After that, the infection would quickly spread around the body and possibly infect tendons or bones. It could also cause a headache and nausea, which would prevent me from going anywhere. If I didn't get this treated somehow, I was going to lose my life. I knew how to use chakra but I didn't know any ninjutsu, let alone medical ninjutsu.

Pushing myself up gingerly, hoping my leg wouldn't give out on me, I rose to my feet. Agony raced up my leg and pooled in my stomach. I spotted a few drops of fresh blood littering the floor beneath me. With a wince, I tore my gaze away from them and tried to take my first step.

Five steps later, I began to move a little faster. I was growing used to the pain, and as long as I did not look back to the trail of red I was leaving, I was not going to lose consciousness again.

My body decided at that moment to prove me wrong. Suddenly I was on the ground again, head throbbing as it met with the sharp rocks surrounding the river. The injured arm and leg were screaming in protest, and the scratches on my stomach had begun profusely bleeding through the strip of cloth. I let out a pained groan, knowing I would not be getting up again soon. If at all, actually. My head was spinning and throbbing, which probably meant I had a concussion.

All those hours Aunt spent teaching me first aid were useless. I couldn't treat a concussion, broken arm, bleeding stomach, and infected leg all at once. Not to mention the fact that I possibly had rabies, and if I didn't get that treated within a few weeks, then there was no chance for me.

I was really starting to regret leaving my aunt behind. I was going to die, out here in the middle of nowhere, all alone. I was only eight years old. That age was considered much too young to die even in the shinobi profession, and I was a civilian at the moment. I admit now that I hadn't had much to live for back then, but at the time, I had sincerely wanted to live. Survival instinct, and all that.

It didn't seem like I was going to make it, despite my wishes. My vision was growing fuzzy, my head spinning faster and faster until I could no longer make sense of what was up or down. I thought I saw movement by the water, but my train of thought had been derailed and all I could think now was a bunch of garbled words. Suddenly I was no longer conscious, drifting in the sea of darkness that is oblivion.

\(ﺝ_ﺝ)/

**(These weird faces have absolutely nothing to do with the storyline. I just add them to show the breaks in the story.)**

There is no sense of relief when you think you're going to die but wake up anyway. There is no joy, no happy tears. Not immediately, anyway. There is only confusion and pain, both so intense that they can force you to become comatose once again. I, being only eight at the time, succumbed with a shuddering breath.

The next time I woke up, the confusion and pain had dulled some. My eyes fluttered a little before I remembered how to use them properly and opened them wide. I found my surroundings to be unfamiliar and dark, lit only by a few candles scattered about haphazardly. Some were even on top of papers or next to stacks of books.

Next, I noticed was that practically everything was made of wood, bone, or fur, which meant whoever lived here was an excellent hunter. Or they knew someone who was an excellent hunter. Either way, they might agree to trade part of my mountain lion for clothing and blankets.

Once I had taken in my environment, my mind focused on myself. My broken arm seemed to be under pressure, and an attempt at moving it revealed that there was a splint on it. Something cool coated my stomach, head, and leg, along with a few layers of off-white bandages. Someone had treated my wounds.

That thought came crashing into me, setting off alarm bells in my mind that screamed _RUN._ Because if someone had picked me up, brought me here, and treated my wounds, there was no doubt that they had seen my hair and eyes. Maybe the reason they weren't here was because they were going to get some shinobi and bring them here. Maybe I was already in a Hidden Village.

Before I could move, the sound of a door opening halted all thoughts. In an instant my eyes were closed and my body limp, playing the part of the unconscious patient. Footfalls sounded from somewhere nearby, growing louder until another door opened- the door to this room. Whoever was in the room walked directly to me, pausing a moment before chuckling.

"I know you're awake, little one." The voice sounded male, gravelly and deep as it was. He sounded mildly amused by my attempt at fooling him. There was no anger, no fear, no hesitation in his tone, which was a curious fact. He was either overconfident or very powerful. "Come on now, I'm not going to hurt you."

Cautiously I opened my eyes, peering out from behind my lashes to study the man in front of me. He was rather large, with a copious amount of muscle and height. It was obvious from the scars littering his form that he had been in quite a few fights, but with wild animals or fellow humans I could not tell. His short brown hair was cut messily, making some pieces stick up more than others on top of his head. His eyes were a soft green that seemed mischievous, and the smirk on his lips only added to that.

"Good." He nodded, reaching out a large hand and patting me softly on the head before turning on his heel and heading to a nearby pile of random objects. He began rummaging around, searching for something in the mess. "So, little one" he spoke as he searched, his back still turned, "your head wound was pretty minor, but combined with the blood loss and infection in your stomach and leg, you were in a pretty precarious place. I don't know any medical ninjutsu, but I do know herbs- Aha!" The happy exclamation startled me a bit, but he didn't seem to notice as he whirled around and approached me once again. "Here it is. This cream is best for treating infection." The container he held out appeared to be made of bone and contained some form of murky substance.

Without another word he began cleaning, coating, and re-dressing my wounded leg. I watched him carefully, though if he was poisoning me there wasn't much I could do about it. When he saw my scrutinizing gaze he simply grinned, continuing his work with a soft laugh.

"Cautious one, aren't you?" He questioned, and received no response. Another chuckle rumbled in his chest. "It's understandable, being who you are." Immediately I tensed and tried to jump off the table I had been set upon. He stopped my movements with a gentle but firm hand, all traces of mischief gone as he looked down at me. "Relax, little one. I said I wouldn't hurt you." I just glared at him. "I won't let anyone else hurt you either, I swear. Besides, you wouldn't make it far with your injuries. Just rest while I finish treating your wounds."

He then proceeded to ignore my vicious glare and pulled me into a sitting position, peeling away the bandages around my stomach. My tattered and bloody clothing didn't hinder him much, for there was no cloth left on the bottom half of the shirt. The process went quickly, and soon there was a pile of reddish bandages lying next to me and he was bringing that container of medicine over. The moment it met the skin of my stomach I gasped- it was freezing! It hadn't been that cold when he had put it on my leg!

My reaction made the man snicker for a fourth time, an impish grin on his lips. I sent him a weak glare, squirming a bit as the cold medicine met my torn flesh. Once he had finished torturing me, he took a roll of clean bandages from his pocket and began wrapping them around me.

"There." He stepped back to check on his work. "Now your head."

"Why are you helping me?" I whispered, turning my head in the direction he indicated as he begun to unwrap my forehead. He paused for a moment, and then continued working. For a moment, I thought he wouldn't reply.

"So you _can_ talk." He mused. "I was worried you had gone mute from the hit to your head." There were a few more seconds of tense silence during which I glared at the table, since I could not turn to glare at _him_. "I'm helping you because, despite what everyone may think of your clan, you are not a monster. You bleed just like the rest of us, you hurt just like the rest of us. You may seem much too mature for your age, but are still just a child, and a lonely one at that. The world is not just black and white; there are shades of gray in between." Then, with a smile, he met my curious gaze. "Am I making sense?"

It was now my turn to remain silent, and in that time he returned his attention to my head wound. I had no idea how to respond to his words, for I had never met someone like him before. My belief had always been that if I were to be discovered, people would shun me, hurt me, or try to wield me like an emotionless weapon. But this man… he had just negated that belief in a few sentences. In light of this confusion, I settled for a rather petulant response.

"Who says I'm lonely?" I muttered.

"Your eyes." Was his soft reply. "Your eyes tell me that you're very lonely, little one." The silence remained after that, broken only by the soft rustling of his movements.

\(ﺝ_ﺝ)/

**Yay, second chapter is up! So yeah… you get a tiny, itty-bitty clue as to why she and her aunt were always on the run. Sorry for any grammatical issues, please tell me if you spot them and I'll fix them ASAP!**

**I hope you enjoyed the second chapter of Crossing the Line! If you can, please review. Comments, compliments, and constructive criticism are very welcome! Thank you!**

**My answer to my own question… Hm… I really like all of the Akatsuki, and most of the Konoha shinobi, and of course the Suna siblings, and… there are too many to name. But my **_**favorite **_**character would probably be… **_Kisame. _**He's just so freaking awesome! He has GILLS. And his skin is BLUE. He's friggin' AMAZING.**

**Alright… so, next question for anyone reading this is; **_Which Naruto movie is your favorite?_ **It can be any of them. I'll give my answer next chapter. **

**Thank you for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

_"You can't stop the future_  
_You can't rewind the past_  
_The only way to learn the secret_  
_...is to press play."_

-**Jay Asher****,**_** Thirteen Reasons Why**_

Chapter 3- The Future

Stillness reigned on the mountaintop, not even a breeze disrupting the tranquility. I could only admire the scenery for so long, though, as I wished to have dinner prepared by the time Iwao returned. He had been gone for over a week now- today was the day he had promised to return. So I began walking, disturbing the silence and destroying the peace with my soft footfalls.

Nimbly I weaved through the intricate traps set out to catch intruders. I had been doing this for so long that it was now second nature, requiring little to no attention despite the fact that we moved the traps around every other day. Or should I say _I_ moved the traps every other day.

Iwao hadn't been around all too often since my tenth birthday nine and a half months ago. He would leave for weeks on end, returning only to leave again a few days later. It wouldn't have been a very large issue- after all, I knew how to take care of myself now- except for the fact that he always had a very wistful expression on his face whenever he returned- much like that of Aunt's almost three years prior. It was love.

Based upon the faint smell of flowers and the long curly black hairs I would often discover when it was my turn to wash the dirty laundry, I had deducted that my guardian was in love with another _person_ rather than a _village._ But, like my aunt's love, it left me with only a few options.

I could leave, as I had left before, and let the man enjoy his time with his love without the burden of a ten-year-old child.

I could try to separate the two of them, selfishly.

I could stay, also selfishly, and attempt to get along with the person. We would never be family, but I could be cordial. I had a proper disguise for my clan features now- a special long-term genjutsu Iwao and I had come up with a year back. It lasted eight months, disguising my hair as brown and my eyes as gold (much like Iwao's), and then I needed one night to build up enough chakra to cast it again. As long as this person Iwao was infatuated with didn't see me on that one night, I would have no qualms with staying with the two of them.

I supposed that was up to Iwao, though. Every time he returned, I would look to see if there was a stranger behind him, one with long curly black hair. I would await the moment the words would leave his lips, the words that would seal my fate as a vagabond- _Izumi, I have found someone special. I have no room for you any longer. Leave._ I knew it was unlikely that the easygoing Iwao would ever say such a thing, but my paranoid mind would not allow me to perish the thought.

I would simply have to wait and see what would become of me.

-(ﺓ_ﺓ)-

Iwao looked troubled. It was one of the increasingly rare nights that he was home, but his usual smile had been replaced with a thoughtful frown, accentuating the deepening wrinkles on his forehead. He did not eat, he did not move, he did not speak. He simply frowned.

"Iwao-san." I called, trepidation making my voice soft. "Is the rabbit stew not to your liking?"

"Hm?" His reply was dazed, as though he had responded without meaning to. Then the haze dissipated some, and he blinked up at me from his staring contest with the table. "Oh, no, that's not it." Recently groomed brown hair flew every which way as he shook his head. I found myself unhappy that his hair was evenly cut now- he had lost some of his intimidation factor now that he looked so… clean.

"Is it about the woman you've been seeing?" I asked rather bluntly. Iwao looked rather shocked by my sudden question. I couldn't see why. He hadn't been very discreet about his love; I had almost thought that he had _wanted_ me to figure it out.

"How-" The question went unfinished as he once again shook his head. "Never mind. I should have known that you would figure it out. Yes, Izumi, it is about the woman I have been seeing." A faint smile flickered across his features at the mere mention of her. "We've been seeing each other for-"

"Ten months, thirteen days." I cut in, picking up my empty bowl and carrying it to the sink. "I know, Iwao-san."

"Yes… well, since we've been seeing each other for so long… Well, Aimi really wants to meet you." Iwao spoke in a rush, trying to get the words out before he could lose his nerve.

"You told her about me?" I questioned flatly as I scrubbed the bowl clean.

"I told her I was taking care of a young girl I found by the riverside." Iwao clarified.

"I see." Was my response. I turned off the tap and picked up a dishrag, drying the bowl before placing it in the cupboard. "So she wishes to meet me? Where does she live?" There was a nervous glint in Iwao's eye now, one that signified nothing good.

"Well…" He began, not meeting my eyes. "See… Aimi also wants me to move in with her in her village…" I blinked, absorbing this new information as he continued onward. "Which would be… the Village Hidden in the Leaves." At the end he gave me a little half-smile that he seemed to think would soothe any anger I felt. It did not.

"Iwao-san…" I rumbled, gliding closer to the table, sending the semi-cowering mountain man a deadly glare. He knew I could not go to a shinobi village. I could not afford any suspicion. Apparently this love of his was clouding his mind, making the man forgetful. Or stupid. Perhaps both.

"Just hear me out, little one." He soothed, using his old nickname for me. Automatically I found myself calming, images from all the time we had spent together flashing through my mind. He knew exactly how to calm me down, and he used his knowledge whenever he needed to. "I truly love Aimi. One day, I'm sure you'll understand that." Denial flickered momentarily in the back of my mind. "She is a nice woman, and she would really like to meet you. I know you're wary of people, shinobi in particular, because of your heritage, but the Village Hidden in the Leaves is well known for being the most easy-going of the villages. Besides that, you have your genjutsu." Iwao reached out and took my small hand in his much larger one gently. "I don't want to leave you out here all alone, little one. But I want to go and live with Aimi. It's your choice whether you go or not, but I promise that if you come with me, I _will_ protect you."

Silence befell the little cabin as I took in his words. Once again I was faced with the choice. Risk myself for the sake of someone else's love and happiness, or leave and let them live out their lives without me. On the one hand, I would have someone to look out for me, aid me, and protect me. But I would be endangered at every turn because of them as well. On the other hand, I would be alone again. I could take care of myself; I had food, shelter, and water. I would survive. But… I would be alone.

I closed my eyes, sitting heavily upon the wooden chair across from Iwao and cradling my head in my hands.

"I will go."

-(ﺓ_ﺓ)-

"Kouki-san." A tender, pleased voice called as we entered the large village, the great green gates towering above us. I turned my head towards the source of the voice, finding the source to be a slim woman of medium height with dark eyes and long curly black hair. I had no doubt that this was Aimi. For a moment though, I did not know whom she was addressing. When Iwao raised his hand in greeting, a faint memory of the man telling me his real name came to mind. _He_ was Kouki. Iwao was just a name I called him because of its meaning.

Stone man. It fit him. It was also in retaliation for the name he had given me when I would not tell him mine- Izumi. It meant spring, or fountain. His logic was that he had found me at a mountain spring, and therefore I had to be named accordingly.

"Aimi-san, this is Izumi. Izumi, this is Aimi-san." Iwao- I refused to address him as Kouki- introduced, gesturing between the two of us. Aimi turned her dark eyes upon me and smiled. It was a very nice smile, completely sincere, but I didn't like it. It seemed out of place on her statue-esque features. I didn't comment on it, though.

"Izumi-chan. So nice to finally meet you." Aimi chuckled. "Kouki-san spoke highly of you very often. My name is Uchiha Aimi, and I hope we can get along." Then she held out her hand. I grasped it lightly, shaking twice before releasing her.

"I hope so, Uchiha-san. Forgive me for my blunt mannerisms, but from what I have heard in my travels, the Uchiha clan is a very powerful clan that rarely allows marriages outside of the family." This was true- I had heard of the Uchiha clan wherever my aunt and I had traveled. "Will your clan elders not disapprove of yourself and Iwao-san's relationship?"

"You speak so formally for such a young girl." Aimi commented, looking mildly amused and more than a little bewildered. "Who is Iwao?"

"That would be me." Iwao chuckled. "She came up with the name when I first took her in and won't address me as anything else." Irritation grew within me as they seemed to forget I was there. After a moment of tacky goo-goo eyes being made, Aimi finally redirected her attention to myself.

"How cute." She smiled. My eyebrow twitched- I disliked being called _cute._ "But no, my clan elders will not mind. While my father is a pureblood Uchiha, my mother is a pureblood Yūhi. The clan elders already view my family as… tainted… and have removed us from the clan. We keep the clan name out of spite."

"I see." I responded flatly. The urge to look around became too great for me to hold in, and I took a swift scan of my surroundings. There were people milling about, civilians in bland garb, foreigners in traveling gear, shinobi in flak jackets. Two shinobi sat behind a desk, writing down descriptions of all who entered or exited the gates. I saw one of them glance in my direction and tensed slightly, trying to pretend as though I had been staring at the large gates rather than the shinobi.

"Izumi-chan?" Aimi called, sounding a bit concerned.

"My apologies." I answered, returning my gaze to her pale face. "This village is simply captivating. I am not used to so many people, so many buildings." A fake smile tugged at my lips, my eyes glittering with false excitement. Aimi seemed to accept this, but I could see Iwao sending me worried glances out of the corner of my eye. "Perhaps…" I began, debating the ramifications of my next words. "Perhaps I would be allowed to explore? It would allow the two of you time alone, and I would grow more accustomed to my surroundings."

"Are you sure?" Iwao inquired, his hazel eyes searching my expression for something. I nodded. "Alright. Meet us back here in three hours." Finally, a smile broke through his anxious scowl and he ruffled my hair. "Try not to be too anti-social, Izumi. Make some friends your age."

I scowled at his words and actions, fixing my hair as I walked away with my head held high enough to regain some pride. I could hear Aimi's soft laughter and Iwao's booming chuckles behind me as I went. I tried to ignore them, but they were making everyone else stare, so I simply hurried away from the two lovebirds.

As I walked around the village, I discovered that it was very… peaceful. Everyone seemed to be all smiles, chatting and laughing as though most of the population _didn't _kill people for money. Not that stealing money was much better- I still had the five thousand one hundred and twenty-eight ryō I had acquired all those years ago. And yet, I couldn't help but feel as though this village was entirely… fake. A mask used to cover up a scarred surface.

My feet subconsciously hurried me past the cheery faces and happy voices, carrying me down an alley towards a less crowded street. Shadows suddenly flashed in front of me as I walked, prompting my head to tilt back in an attempt to see which birds were flying above.

They were not birds.

Black-clad shinobi, masked by the red and white faces of creatures, raced across the rooftops above me. I stopped in my tracks and watched, enthralled by their fluid and powerful movements. They were beautiful. They were deadly. They were my enemies.

Suddenly, two figures moved into the alleyway ahead of me. It seemed they had not spotted me yet, so I slid behind a barrel and watched them as I had watched rabbits in the mountains. I was a hunter, through and through, and thankfully that was useful at the moment.

"Nii-san, hurry, they're coming!" A young voice whispered rather loudly.

"No, Sasuke. We left them behind two streets ago." A more mature voice replied. They both sounded male, the more mature speaker sounding somewhat toneless even as he spoke kindly to his little brother. "We are safe, but we must get home."

"Yes, Nii-san." The boy identified as 'Sasuke' replied, and I could see him grab his older brother's hand as the two of them walked down the alley. As they got closer I could see that 'Sasuke' was, in fact, quite young, while his brother looked to be my age. They both had black hair and eyes that reminded me explicitly of Aimi. There was no doubt- these two were of the Uchiha clan.

Suddenly, shrill squeals pierced my ears as the sound of thundering feet became apparent. Sasuke looked rather startled, while his older brother was looking over his shoulder and preventing me from seeing his expression. Sasuke began tugging somewhat desperately at his brother's hand, urging the older boy to hurry.

Itachi turned and, despite his rather apathetic features, I could tell he was disgruntled by the girls who were now calling his name at volumes so high they had to be augmenting their voices with chakra. Realizing that they were in danger of being injured, based upon the crazed look on the faces of the girls who passed by the alley, I swiftly slid out of my hiding place and grabbed the two boys, tucking them behind the barrel before striding out towards the general mass of females.

"They're by the front gates!" I shrieked convincingly, somehow being heard by the girls. They instantly began racing to be the first to reach the gates, clawing at each others hair and tripping each other. I frowned after them, waiting until the last crazy girl was out of sight before returning to the cowering brothers. "Are you alright?" I questioned, watching as the older brother checked his younger brother for any injuries before nodding. I nodded back and then began walking again, intent on heading in the opposite direction of the other girls.

"Wait." From the voice I could tell it was the older brother who had called. "I don't recognize you. What is your name?" Glancing over my shoulder, I sent the boy a suspicious glance.

"I have no reason to tell you." I retorted, turning to leave again.

"I am Uchiha Itachi. This is my otouto, Uchiha Sasuke." The newly dubbed 'Itachi' called. "Now, it is only polite to give your name in return." My glare was scalding as I sent it in his direction, a deep scowl marring my features.

"I am Sanmyaku no Izumi."

-(ﺓ_ﺓ)-

**So… Izumi is in Konoha, she's met Itachi and Sasuke (and dislikes Itachi already), and now the real story can begin. This is set around two and a half years before the Uchiha massacre, so there will be a few more timeskips throughout the next few chapters, but nothing too major (like three years).**

**If you can, please review. Comments, compliments, and constructive criticism are always welcome. If you see any grammatical errors, TELL ME! I will fix them ASAP. **

**My answer to the question last chapter is **_Road to_ _Ninja_** because it has all of my favorite characters in it. Plus, it's really touching- and Naruto (Menma) looks totally awesome with black hair.**

**Next question;** _In a fight between all of the Akatsuki members (aside from Pein, Konan, and Tobito), who would come out on top?_ **My response will be posted next chapter :)**

**Thank you so much for reading my story. I sincerely hope you like it.**

**Until next time,**

**JoyfulDevastation**


	4. Chapter 4

_"Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things which give value to survival."_

**-C.S. Lewis, **_**The Four Loves**_

**A thank you to ****NagariMitsukari12**** for your review. I'm so glad you like the story and hope you continue to enjoy Crossing the Line!**

**Another thank you goes to ****soltra8**** for your review. I'm glad to hear that my story managed to catch your eye, and I'm excited to read what you think of the rest of it. **

Chapter 4- Blossoms of Friendship

When one catches the attention of an Uchiha, it seems, one is hard-pressed to lose it. Not only had the older Uchiha brother not left me alone since I saved the two of them, but he had gotten his little brother curious as well. Itachi never once spoke to me as I trailed listlessly through the great village, and kept his distance at that, but I could feel his piercing black eyes blazing holes in the back of my head. His little brother, as well, had caught on to his brother's interest in myself and started pestering Itachi as to why.

I attempted to ignore the two dark-haired, pale-skinned beings that followed my every move with their strangely intense eyes, but after spending six years training myself to become acutely aware of the stares of strangers, it was difficult to put their powerful gazes in the back of my mind.

Difficult, but not completely impossible. Especially when my surroundings required such a high level of attention- there were so many people, so many things to observe and discover. I focused on memorizing the layout of the village- the ramen shop, the academy, the flower shop, etcetera. The two Uchihas soon became mere background noise in the cacophony that was the Village Hidden in the Leaves.

Vaguely did I notice when Itachi and Sasuke had stopped following me, but by the time I actually realized their stares were gone, they had vanished without a trace. They came from a shinobi family, so I supposed it was only natural that they were able to disappear.

It was around that time that I decided that I had had enough of sightseeing and began meandering back in the direction of the gates. My false-golden eyes took in the path ahead of me in long sweeps as I walked, and I will admit I was rather eager to spot another group of those masked shinobi. They fascinated me, and at the same time they terrified me.

When I reached the gates, there was no longer any squealing women. It seemed as though they had regained their senses and went their separate ways, for I could not hear any high-pitched screams emanating from anywhere else nearby.

There was also no sign of Iwao or Aimi, and I knew it would be another hour or longer before they appeared. Iwao was always directly on time. I was always the early one- early to rise, early to hunt. The only thing I was never early to was sleep. That always came very late.

That stare.

The stare of Itachi Uchiha had once again begun beating upon my senses, kicking them into overdrive as I tried to pick him out of the crowd. Sensing movement too fluid to be civilian, I turned my head to the right and spotted the dark boy striding towards me, his younger sibling missing from his side.

"Uchiha-san." I acknowledged as he approached, appraising his rather void expression. The two tear troughs beneath both ebony eyes only served to make the boy look older than he probably was, while his chin-length hair made him seem more feminine. But while his face was empty, his aura was not. He was curious, wary even. He did not know me- and obviously he was used to reading people. A shinobi for sure.

"Sanmyaku no Izumi." He intoned, stopping only a foot away. There was a pause as his mysterious gaze flickered across my smaller form. Then black met gold, and he gave a small nod. "I came to thank you for your assistance."

"You're welcome." I replied shortly, turning away and searching for any sign of Iwao, though I knew he would not be there. I kept Itachi in my peripheral vision, however. Though I did not know why, I was very cautious of the stoic boy.

"You are new to the village." It was a statement, not a question, but I replied anyway.

"Yes."

"You come from the Land of Earth?" This time it truly was a question, and I did not respond. He waited a moment, but when it became clear that his question would remain unanswered, he let out an unfamiliar noise. It was a cross between a grunt and a sigh, something akin to the combination of an 'h' and an 'n'. I sent him a quizzical glance before returning to my futile search for familiar faces. "Why did you help us?"

"What do you mean?" I inquired, finally giving him my full attention. "You were going to be injured by those women- they were obviously not in their right minds. Did you not want my help?"

"Most would not help those they do not know." Itachi explained. "Even fewer would feel as irritated as you appear when the person they saved thanks them." He was being sardonic, his lips tugging upwards into a light smirk. "You obviously did not help us for the sake of getting in the good graces of an Uchiha, and you obviously did not do it for the thanks. Why did you help us?"

"It is not fair when the few face the many." Was my curt reply. The Uchiha seemed to digest my words for a moment before nodding. Then, without warning, he began walking. I stared after him, perplexed, until he stopped, turned his head, and stared right back at me.

"Come." He said after a moment. "You only saw the main street before. I will show you the rest of the village in return for your actions." And then he began walking.

For some reason, I followed.

┌(◙_◙)┘

Iwao seemed shocked when he arrived at the gate and found Itachi and I in the midst of a discussion over the usefulness of herbal knowledge in the middle of a fight. The two of us both agreed it was absolutely necessary- we were simply listing the reasons why. Our conversation was interesting to say the least. Neither of us were one to talk more than absolutely necessary, so our answers consisted of one or two words that the other could understand immediately.

"You actually made a friend, Izumi, I'm glad." Iwao chuckled, patting my head like he would when I was younger and had done something correctly. I scowled. "What's his name, little one?"

"Uchiha Itachi, sir." Itachi answered before I could, dipping his head respectfully to Iwao.

"He's not a friend." I cut in a little snappishly. "We've known each other for less than a day, and know nothing about each other aside from our names and attitudes. We are acquaintances."

"Right…" Iwao drawled complacently with a smirk struggling to make itself known on his features. My glare hardened, but it did little to eradicate the smugness glittering in his eyes. "Anyway, it's nice to meet you, Itachi, will you be joining us for dinner tonight?"

"Iwao-san?" I exclaimed, outraged.

"What?" Iwao whined. "You've never had a friend before! I'm just so happy for you!"

"You sound like the middle-aged mother of a shy child." I scoffed. "I had no need of friends before, and have no need of friends now. And I doubt having an _acquaintance_ now is going to be a very large change."

"You'll see, little one." Iwao chuckled. Itachi seemed to be watching our interaction carefully, taking in our mannerisms and making mental notes for later reference. "Back to what I was saying before Izumi interrupted," he sent me a mock frown, earning a real frown in return, "will you be joining us for dinner, Itachi? Aimi-san will be making-"

"Kouki-san!" Aimi called, appearing from the mass of people down the main street with a smile. I blinked in surprise- I had almost forgotten about her. I hadn't meant to, I just hadn't thought about her. That was odd… I rarely forgot much of anything…

Aimi came to a stop beside Iwao, not touching him but too close for it to be impersonal. I could see the slight widening of Itachi's eyes as he probably recognized her, but the emotion was gone just as soon as it had come. Aimi, however, remained frozen in shock once she recognized the boy standing next to me.

"Itachi. I'm surprised you're not training with your father." She said once she had regained her composure. Her eyes, despite her even tone, were wide and somewhat frightened. It seemed I was right to be wary of Itachi, but from Aimi's tenor it seemed his father was the one to be frightened of.

"I was showing Izumi-san around the village in order to thank her for her help with the women following my brother and myself." Itachi explained, stepping forward a bit so that he was now directly beside me rather than just behind my shoulder. "Iwao-san has invited me to dinner."

"Iwao-san?" Aimi let a small smile out at the nickname. "Izumi-chan got you to call him that too?" Itachi gave me a questioning look for a moment, and when Aimi spotted it, she giggled, losing all seriousness. "Iwao is the name Izumi gave Kouki-san when she was little. She won't call him by his real name no matter what anyone says."

"I see." Itachi replied, absorbing this new knowledge. "My apologies, Kouki-san."

"No worries." Iwao brushed it off. "You can call me Iwao if you like. After all, you're the little one's first friend." There seemed to be a paternal glow radiating off him for a moment. Then it turned dark. "But you can't be her boyfriend."

"Iwao…" His name left my lips as an enraged snarl, prompting the man to turn pale and back away a few steps. He spluttered excuses, but I ignored them. "Forgive him, Uchiha-san, he is fond of playing stupid." I informed the boy beside me. Iwao pouted, which made Aimi comfort him in the form of a hug. My eyebrow twitched. I was already regretting my decision to come here already.

"I was just warning the boy…" The scar-riddled mountain man whined. "Not only would you kill him if he tried, I would kill him if he succeeded. You're not allowed to date until I'm dead."

"That can be arranged if you don't stop this nonsense." I remarked bitterly. Iwao sighed and lost his pout, releasing Aimi from their hug. He wandered over to my side and pat my head, smiling gently at me.

"Sorry, Izumi." The apology was soft, and when coupled with his genuinely sheepish smile, it forced all of the irritation out of me. I sent him a nod, accepting his words, and his sheepish smile became a happy grin. Aimi and Itachi watched on in silence, and my immediate thought when I turned to face them was; _outsiders._

Then Aimi sent us a beaming smile, ranting on about how adorable that had been. She and Iwao began giving each other happy glances and cooed words. I did not realize that Itachi and I had gotten closer to each other until my shoulder bumped into his arm, and even then I didn't acknowledge our proximity. I simply watched as Iwao and Aimi fell into their own little world, Iwao smiling much wider than he ever had before.

_What is it about love that makes people feel so giddy?_ The question bounced through my mind, echoing and spreading, latching on and refusing to let go. I had no answer, had no clue.

Itachi cleared his throat lightly, drawing our attention. I almost felt relief wash over me as Aimi and Iwao separated a little. I knew I was being bitter- Iwao had been all I had for three whole years, after all- but whenever I saw Aimi, I could only think of her as the outsider, as the intruder. And when I saw them together… _I_ felt like the outsider. _I _was the intruder. It was an unsettling feeling.

"Ah, Itachi, have you decided? Will you be coming to dinner?" Iwao inquired, an arm still wrapped around Aimi's shoulder. Aimi's expression turned a bit sour for a moment before clearing, a smile replacing the frown that had been there only moments before.

"I must ask my parents." Itachi replied smoothly, though I knew he had seen Aimi's scowl. "I ask that you allow Izumi-san to accompany me, however, as I wish to explain to my parents how she aided myself and my otouto."

"Of course!" Iwao grinned. "Meet us at Aimi's apartment when you can. Do you know where it is?" Itachi nodded curtly, turning and walking away. I followed after him, not even bothering to call back a farewell. Once the cooing pair was out of sight, I turned and stopped Itachi with a hand on his arm.

"Why did you lie?" I demanded.

"Hm?" He raised one sharp eyebrow in response to my question, looking mildly amused.

"Why did you tell them you wanted to tell your parents about how I helped you? You yourself said I didn't care to fall into the good graces of the Uchiha. You are not indebted, as you guided me around the village in exchange for my assistance. So, why did you lie?"

"You seemed uncomfortable in their presence." Itachi answered easily, striding forward once again. I paused for only a moment before trailing after him, my gaze boring holes in the back of his head, much like he had done to me earlier. He ignored me masterfully for a long while until I changed my pace to walk beside me. Then he sent me a glance, returning his attention to what was ahead of us so quickly that I almost believed that I had imagined it.

"Thank you." I muttered, not looking at him. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him give a miniscule nod, and then the two of us did not speak again for the rest of our journey.

┌(◙_◙)┘

**Yep… that's it for this chapter. No, this story is not all about romance and mushy feelings. I'm just setting up the plot. So, those of you averse to goo-goo eyes and goofy smiles, don't worry. This will only last a few more chapters, and none of the future chapters will be as focused on 'feelings' as this one. For those of you who like romance stories, enjoy the next few chapters. It will reappear a bit later, but not too much until the end.**

**As for last chapter's question, I think **_Kisame would win_, **and not just because he's my favorite character. There **_**is **_**a reason he's called the tailless tailed beast!**

**Next question; **_If you were a Jinchūriki, would you _

_A) Try to get along with your Bijū_

_B) Use your Bijū's power without regards to consequences_

_C) Pretend your Bijū didn't exist_

_D) Be like Gaara and let your Bijū take over_

_E) Other (If so, what?)_

**My answer next chapter!**

**I hope you liked this chapter. Comments, compliments, and constructive criticism are always welcome. Thank you for reading!**

**Keep yourself in good health. I woke up two days ago with a nasty cold, which is why I haven't updated as soon as I wanted to. So, my wonderful readers, stay healthy (or if you're sick, get healthy!)**

**Until next time,**

**JoyfulDevastation**


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